The Bridesmaid's Proposal

“Chris. She never misses your show.” He handed her the latest copy of Soap Craze.

To make it easier for her, he’d opened it to the page featuring some of the cast of Laguna Nights. He used his finger to point to the picture of her in Fabio’s hard-muscled arms.

There was Alex again. Big as life. As long as she came to this studio every day, she couldn’t escape him.

“Sign there, will you? It’ll make her day.” Bob handed her a pen.

Hard to believe Reese’s signature could make anyone’s day, but it was a phenomenon she would never complain about. Being an actress had brought in a terrific income, and she could never complain about the great working hours.

But she’d promised herself she would finish college.

After today’s show, she was going back to school full-time at the University of California in San Diego to get her undergraduate degree in American History. It would take five more semesters. Then it was on to graduate school.

Anything to stop thinking about Alex, who was eight years older than her twenty-three. He was a self-made, hard-working man turned actor who because of his origins brought a fascinating dimension to his role as her would-be lover.

An awful emptiness stole through her at the thought of never seeing him again. This had to end. Thank heaven it was her last day. Their last taping.

Aware Bob was waiting, Reese signed the picture with a flourish, then handed everything back to him. Pasting another smile on her face, she hurried inside past the main foyer filled with pictures of famous television celebrities from the past. Her aunt’s face made up part of the collection.

Lilian Jaynes, the elder sister of Reese’s mother, had been one of the soap greats on Laguna Nights, playing the role of Kathryn Shaw right up to the week she died.

At fourteen, Reese had gone to live with Lilian after her parents had been killed in a car accident. Then halfway through college, just before she had turned twenty-one, she had got the surprise of her life. Her aunt had talked the producer into letting Reese audition for the part of Kathryn’s long-lost daughter Carly on the show.

Reese knew the storyline well. So often she and her aunt had laughed over the ridiculous scenarios the writers thought up.

Carly Shaw had been stolen by her father when she was a baby. Kathryn hadn’t been able to find them. When he’d died, the twenty-year-old Carly had searched for her mother and eventually found her so they could be united.

The role of Carly had had immense appeal for Reese because she’d loved her aunt and it would be easy to play the part of her daughter on the set. But acting hadn’t been Reese’s interest. She’d only auditioned for the part to please her wonderful aunt. She had never dreamed anything would come of it.

Amazingly, Phyllis had listened to them read together and loved their interaction. She’d pronounced it a match made in heaven.

So Reese had taken time off from school to play the part. She had a hunch her aunt had used her considerable influence to get Reese hired so the two of them could spend more time together. Reese had been deeply touched by her aunt’s desire to stay close to her and give her the love that her parents no longer could.

Lilian had been widowed early in life and never had children. As a result, she’d doted on her only niece. Theirs had been a loving relationship. Very special.

But now that her aunt had passed away, it was time for Reese to grow up and move on. Though she’d lost the people she’d loved, she’d never known anything but love from the three of them. Reese realized how lucky she was.

She was resolute in her determination to put this part of her life behind her; what she needed to do was get today’s taping over with and concentrate on the many blessings in her life.

Forget Alex Kieris, she told herself as she entered the large hallway. It divided set thirty-one from set thirty-two, where another soap was being filmed.

Like running an obstacle course, she dodged a dozen waiting actors, and avoided the huge props and deconstructed sets being rolled from storage to stage and back again. The show’s publicist wanted to talk to her, but she had to decline until after the taping.

With little time to lose she continued working her way to the other end of the hall. Wardrobe was up the stairs.

It was a good thing Reese always did her own hair and makeup before she came to work. She needed to change into her bridesmaid outfit pronto.

Patsy, the magician who dressed her and made everything work, was waiting for her. “Glad you decided to drop in. I was starting to get nervous. Heavy traffic?”

“The worst!” That was as good an excuse as any.

Reese averted her eyes before slipping out of her top and jeans. Patsy was right there to lower the sea-foam chiffon dress over her head. Like froth, it swept around her legs to the floor.

A matching broad-rimmed hat and three-inch pumps completed the outfit, bringing her height to five feet eight inches.

Costuming had made that decision. She was maid of honor, and she and Fabio, the best man who stood six feet three, would look better walking down the aisle together if she were taller.

“Your basket of flowers. The marriage license is rolled up and stuck in there with the roses.”

“Real white roses?” Reese lowered her head to smell the marvelous fragrance.

“Yeah. They just arrived.”

Reese turned to leave.

Patsy called her back. “Here’s the ring to give the groom.”

“Oh—can’t forget that.” She slid it on her pinky. “You’re a miracle worker, Patsy,” she said, taking it from the other woman. “I’m going to miss you.”

“We hate to see you go, but a person’s got to do what they’ve got to do.” She put her hands on her hips. “You look scrumptious, but you’re acting all quiet and jumpy. Something’s wrong.”

A small cry of surprise escaped Reese’s lips because Patsy could sense anything at all.

“Hey? Are you okay? Do you have a headache? I can get you some water and painkillers.”

She shook her head. “That’s so nice of you, but I’m fine, Patsy. Just keyed up. You know. The last day on the set.”

“I thought so. If you need anything, just let me know.”

I need for this day to be over.

CHAPTER TWO

REESE thanked Patsy one more time, then headed for the door. She walked down the stairs as fast as her heels would allow. The first thing she did was check the call sheets outside the stage. Virtually everyone in the cast was on camera today for the big wedding scene.

The main couple on the show, Miranda and Carlo, was getting married for the second time. Carlo had asked Fabio, his nephew from Italy, to be his best man.

Kathryn Shaw—Carly’s mother—and Miranda had been best friends. After Kathryn’s sudden tragic passing, Miranda had treated Carly like another daughter. But by doing so, she’d alienated her own only daughter Melissa, who hated her mother and had been fathered by Miranda’s first husband. He was in prison for embezzlement.

Melissa was in love with Fabio and so jealous of Carly, she’d tried to kill her several times. She’d adamantly refused to be the maid of honor at her mother’s wedding. Thus Carly had been chosen.

Off the set, Elaine Hirsh, who played the part of Miranda, was a wonderful friend and support to Reese. When her aunt had died, Elaine and her husband, along with Alex, had been right there to comfort her and make sure she wasn’t alone.

The whole cast had honored Lilian’s memory both on and off the set, but it was Elaine who’d taken Reese under her wing for real. Since the funeral they’d grown very close and had shared many private confidences despite their age difference.

Elaine knew the real reason Reese was leaving the show. Because she could remember how painful it was to be in love and not be able to do anything about it, she was the one person who hadn’t tried to dissuade Reese from her plans. In front of the others she’d applauded her decision to go back to the university and get her degree.

“Hey, Reese!”